I came up with the sibling assignment this week in keeping with a holiday theme. " When we hear certain songs they take us back to a time and place in our past and stir up memories. Pick a Christmas song and reflect on the time and place it takes you." Silver Valley Girl's poignant memory of singing while driving home with my parents is here and Raymond Pert's will be posted soon.
I don't remember how young I was when I started watching the movie White Christmas, but the movie and songs are vivid memories. It seemed like in the '60's everyone in north Idaho had a white Christmas. Every old photo of winter shows snow. I remember traveling on slick, snowy roads to get to Grandma's house close to Christmas back then. I couldn't imagine the cast in the movie when they arrived in Vermont with no snow.
Back then the movie would only be shown once during the holidays. When it came on I felt like the holiday season had really started. Later it was replaced by Charlie Brown, Grinch, and Rudolph in prime time, so I had to stay up really late in order to see it. I remember one Christmas Eve sitting up after everyone else went to bed to watch White Christmas.
What brings back fond memories is the title song "White Christmas" . Partly because it is from this movie and also because Bing Crosby was attached to Spokane and Gonzaga University . We thought of him as some Spokane Saint or something. My grandmother held him in high regard. My dad loved to sing with Bing when he heard this song. Any time I hear the song now I picture Dad or Grandma loving up the hill from Gonzaga or the scene in the movie when Bing is singing to the soldiers. Later when I owned my own VHS copy of the movie I created a tradition of viewing it while doing my Christmas baking. I moved up to this century last year when RP gave me a DVD copy of the film. All I need now is surround sound. Take a few minutes and enjoy Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas".
Gingerbread cookies are another Christmas tradition. Whether the gingerbread boys are dressed up with raisin buttons or the girls have stripes piped on their skirts gingerbread people bring a whimsical flair to Christmas baking. I also collect gingerbread ornaments for a small tree in my kitchen. My niece Molly made me a handmade ornament years ago that looked like gingerbread, but was a dough mix that was cut out, then baked. I know the dough had ginger in it. The ornament hung on my tree each year until my dog Emily decided it smelled just too good to resist. I came home from school one day and Emily had eaten the ornament! I guess if it gave her a tummy ache, the ginger in the ornament would help settle it.
Then there are the amazing gingerbread houses creative people make all over the country in contests each holiday season. Click here to see other gingerbread houses in a contest with the one above. Truly amazing!
Although our area hasn't seen much snow yet, I look forward to the simple, quiet beauty of winter. I really like to capture images of trees that look like they have been flocked with snow. Enjoy a collection of photos from December of 2007. The sun caught this group of trees on a frosty morning on Highway 395 perfectly. The snow in the yard made everything look flocked. When the frosty night came the flocked trees were illuminated with a dark sky as a background.
Top Ten Signs I have Reached Another Milestone On My Blog:
I can't remember if I posted a certain recipe and have to go to the archives.
I have to go back and count how many times I have actually posted a picture of Kit being cute because I don't want overkill.
Speaking of overkill I also have to make sure I haven't posted more of my favorite poems than other things. Yes, I like poetry... but enough is enough.
People at the wireless hot spot run out for Annie and Shelby's autographs when we pull in the parking lot.
I have learned to ask JEJ before I post a picture of him first thing in the morning making a fire at a campsite.
One of the things on my mental list before I retire for the evening is "do blog post."
When I have a conversation at breakfast with my husband and begin to share stories about Marmite, JBelle, La Tea Dah, RP, SVG, myrtle beach whale, go figure, or alex moore I forget that I have to connect the dots on who these people are.
I even carry my camera into the dentist... you never know when a teeth cleaning session might be an interesting blog post.
I think the state will soon make a clause to the law about talking on a cell phone while driving.... it will include snapping pictures on ten mile road trips. Perhaps I just need to let somebody else drive!
I have found a whole new circle a friends in the blog world that has enriched my life.
I love eggnog in a heated mug, flavoring a cheesecake, as a latte, a cake, sprinkled with nutmeg, in cookies, and even served on ice. Some fast food restaurants serve eggnog shakes. I don't crave eggnog all year, but once it appears in stores around the holidays I like it for that span of time. I can't resist an espresso stand advertising eggnog lattes. What is your favorite way to enjoy the flavor of eggnog?
The Holy and the Ivy
